Artistic Director Richard Tognetti chose an old friend in Russian pianist Polina Leschenko to join him for the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s closing tour of the year.

Richard Tognetti and Polina Leschenko. Photo © Nic Walker

They first performed together in 2006, and it was the work they played then – Felix Mendelssohn’s youthful Concerto for Violin and Piano in D minor – that opened this latest concert.

Written when he was only 14, it is not one of his masterpieces. There are some good solo passages but integrating the two instruments in the faster movements poses problems. However, it is fascinating to see how the young composer was developing and who he was studying. The opening movement shows Mendelssohn’s passion for the counterpoint of JS Bach, while the delicate Adagio owes much to Mozart and Haydn.

Both soloists were thoroughly at home with the music and with each other – they recorded this work for the BIS label and Leschenko is a regular guest of the ACO – and there was a feeling of excitement in the final movement with its lightning fast, catch-me-if-you-can arpeggio runs where both soloists try...